In the past, panels for trade shows were either one large piece, which was cumbersome to store and deliver, or were made up of fold-up units using complicated arrangements of cables and hinges for set-up, or which used modular units requiring different types of pin connectors and which had to be disassembled to change panels.
There are also a very large number of different framing systems known using framing members of various cross-sectional shapes and various types of corner brackets. .The following U.S. patents show known framing systems: Des. 253,552, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,783,543, 4,195,681, 2,201,577, 2,666,508, 2,784,813, 2,447,347, 3,648,393, 3,709,533, 3,124,858, 2,504,700 and 2,923,351.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a framing system that can be delivered in a small size and can be easily set up without tools.
It is another object to provide a framing system wherein the edges of the supported panels do not have to be finished because they are hidden by and protected by a finished framing member.
It is a further object to provide a framing system using a framing member of different lengths but of identical cross-sectional shape and using joiner strips of different lengths but of identical cross-sectional shape and which can provide a very large variety of different framing arrangements by simply varying the lengths of the framing members and of the joiner strips.
It is another object to provide a framing system in which the panels can be easily hingedly connected together to vary their angular relationship.
It is a further object to provide a framing system in which a wide variety of different types of panels can be connected to the frames, on one or both sides, and in a variety of different ways and which panels can be removed and replaced after the frame system has been set up, without having to disassemble it in any way.
It is another object to provide a framing system in which an electrical cord can be included in the frame members and electrical outlets can be provided on the frame members where desired.